The Raid
by AliasCWN
Summary: Dietrich is ordered on a raid he feels is a mistake and the results are surprising.


**The Raid**

By:AliasCWN

"Are you ready Captain?"

"Yes Major, my unit is in position. …Major, I feel it's my duty to remind you that this base is not only well defended but well supplied as well. I'm sure that you received my report on the large convoy that made it through only yesterday."

"Yes, yes Captain, I read the report. What I don't understand is why you didn't destroy that convoy when you had the chance."

"I sent a column out to do just that but it was driven off by the Rat Patrol before it could get close enough to do any damage."

"The Rat Patrol. The Rat Patrol. I am tired of hearing of the Rat Patrol! That unit is going to be the death of you yet Captain; at the very least they will be the death of your career."

"Perhaps Major, but until that time they remain a threat to all of us."

"The Rat Patrol is not here now Captain. My unit will attack the base while your unit sits in reserve. If we need you we will call you but until then you are to remain where you are. Is that clear?"

"Yes Major."

"And Captain…"

"Yes Sir?"

"If the Rat Patrol shows up, my unit will show you how to destroy them once and for all."

The little box clicked and the Major went silent. I settled on the top of Captain Dietrich's hat and rode along as he inspected his position. His men were all waiting expectantly. His tanks were lined up behind the dunes where their drivers had parked them only an hour ago.

I stretched my wings, having stiffened up on the long ride here. I'm not as young as I used to be so I seldom fly long distances anymore. Oh, excuse me; did I forget to introduce myself? My name is Fetti, for those of you haven't met me before this. Yes, Fetti, the fly, still here, still hanging out with Captain Dietrich.

Tonight the Captain is waiting to attack an American base. The Major, yes he's the same little man who lives in the box, ordered him to do this. I wasn't in the radio room when the 'little man in the box' gave him the order, but I was in his office when he returned shortly afterward. The Captain wasn't happy, not at all. I heard him tell one of his officers that the Americans outnumbered them and would be in well-fortified positions. He warned his officers that the Americans were well supplied while the Rat Patrol had managed to destroy nearly every convoy bringing him supplies. I had overheard him earlier telling his aide to send a message asking for more fuel and ammunition since the base was dangerously low on both.

It seems that the Captain is still having trouble with the rats. The Captain is a smart man, one of the smartest I have ever met, though I admit my exposure to humans has been rather limited (I'm a fly, remember?). But it seems to me that he might consider getting a cat. It seems to work for the local Arab population. I don't know, maybe the Captain isn't a cat person. Maybe he prefers dogs. He did take in that stray dog that followed that tank into his compound. Though, now that I think of it, he did say that that tank was full of rats. Maybe he thinks the dog will chase the rats away. The dog did bark at the tank, and it did leave, and I don't remember the Captain having any more rat problems on that particular base. Maybe the dog can keep the rats away, but I still think a cat couldn't hurt.

Excuse me for rambling, I find I tend to do that more and more as I get older. Getting older has its drawbacks but I have managed to adapt my lifestyle to stay active. Actually that is the reason I am here tonight. Since these old wings aren't as agile as they used to be, I have taken to riding in the Captain's staff car when I want to get off the base for some excitement.

When the Captain came back from the radio room and said that the 'Major in the box' (he calls him Major Treig) wanted to attack the base, I thought it sounded exciting. I admit, I took a nap while the Captain organized his unit, I didn't want to fall asleep and miss any of the action. As it turned out, there wasn't much action.

We had driven to this spot very slowly so we wouldn't raise any dust. I guess the Captain likes to keep his tanks clean, but he didn't want anyone to see them. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Who cares if they're clean if no one is going to see them anyway? It's a good thing I'm not in his army, I would be confused all of the time. I am now, but at least I don't have to figure out how to follow orders.

Take that Major, for instance, now that guy sounds stressed. He lives in that little box in the radio room so maybe that accounts for his bad temper. He was angry when the Captain reported that the convoy had gotten through to the American base. I was there, I heard him yelling at the Captain for failing to stop it. The Captain explained that he had sent men out to destroy it. Then the Major yelled because the Captain lost two halftracks in the attempt. Apparently you just can't please some people!

I know that the Captain was surprised that the Major wanted to attack the American base now. The Captain said that he didn't think that the Major was getting many supplies either, (those darn rats again!). But he said that he had his orders and his men would just have to do the best they could with what they had available. Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but the Captain actually cursed the Major when he thought he was alone in his office. No one else heard it, but I did. I don't think the Captain likes the Major very much either.

I know that the Captain has repeatedly stated that he needs a radio, but maybe he should get a different box, one that doesn't have the Major living in it.

But the Captain is a good soldier, so here we are. His troops are all in position, all ready to fight this fight. The Captain has given them all a little speech on honor and duty but I can tell that his heart isn't really in it. I know he worries about his men and I know that he thinks this attack is a mistake.

I saw him look at his watch and tell his lieutenant that it's almost midnight. The lieutenant is tense too; I can smell the fear and sweat rolling off of him. Like the Captain, he is trying hard not to let it show.

I nearly fell off of the Captain's hat when the noise rolled across the desert. It was loud and it just kept coming. Red streaks filled the sky from the American base upward. One of the Captain's men yelled 'tracers' and ducked for cover. The Captain stood bravely and watched the strange streaks rise above the American base. Everyone seemed to be looking to the sky for something. Not at the streaks so much as what the streaks were seeking. I looked too but I didn't see anything, and my vision is still excellent despite my age.

Next there were popping sounds and small balls of light appeared in the sky. They seemed to hang there for a moment before they slowly drifted to the ground. They flickered and sputtered and gradually died out as they fell. I was almost sorry to see them go; they lit up the desert quite well, making it easier to see.

Apparently the Captain agreed with me because he called to his men to find cover. The balls of light continued to drop from the sky for several minutes. I heard the Captain ask the lieutenant how the Americans knew we were here. He ordered his men to return to their vehicles and prepare for an attack.

The little box began to crackle and I heard the Major yelling for the Captain. I rode along as Captain Dietrich rushed to the radio.

"We're pulling back Captain! Someone must have alerted them to our presence! I want your unit to remain here and delay any tanks they send after us. Give us an hour's head start before you follow."

"Yes Sir." The Captain replied dutifully.

I could hear him grinding his teeth at the order.

The lights were still falling and I could see the shapes of the Major's unit pulling away. They had been much closer to the base and I thought it more likely that it was his unit that had been spotted. It wouldn't surprise me if the Major blamed the Captain though; the Major never admitted that he was wrong.

The Captain busied himself making sure that his unit was prepared. He had everyone check their ammunition and he reminded them all to take care to make it count. I know he was worried that they were so short on supplies.

Long after the Major left we were still waiting for a reaction from the base. The Americans were moving around inside but so far they hadn't sent anyone to chase the Major, at least as far as we could tell.

Now I know I said that I am not a soldier, and I'm not, but I sort of felt an obligation to the Captain for giving me a home and food to eat. When I heard him say that it was too dangerous to send a scout to find out what was happening, I decided to volunteer my services.

Flying to the American base tired me out, I'm old, so I make no other excuses. The first thing I did when I arrived was to find a place to rest. My choice turned out to be a most fortuitous one; I landed near the home of one of my distant cousins. Now by distant I don't mean in miles, although that was certainly true too, but I was referring to another branch of my rather extensive family. This cousin turned out to be quite well informed about the activities on the base. As I rested he filled me in on all of the latest gossip circulating around the base. He rambled a bit but who am I to judge.

I finally narrowed his narrative down to the red streaks and the floating lights.

"Oh those, those are tracers and flares."

When he realized that I didn't understand, he explained it to me.

"Tracers are used to determine where bullets are going so they can correct their aim. Flares light up the sky so that humans can see better after dark. They use them to see who might be out there." He smiled knowingly as he continued. "Only tonight they have a different purpose."

"What? They aren't trying to find my Captain are they?" Fear for the safety of Captain Dietrich made my old heart beat wildly.

"No, not tonight."

"Then what? Why would they be using them? Did they see the Major's men?"

"Do you mean those humans who were sneaking up on the base until the lights started?" My cousin asked.

"Yes, those ones." I replied.

"A sentry spotted them as they drove away, but no, they weren't after them either."

"Then what?"

"It's the Fourth of July, whatever that means." My cousin answered. "The base commander decided to run a readiness drill using tracers and flares to test the reaction time of his troops. He said they could use the flares and tracers as a substitute for fireworks. He did tell one of his men that he managed to get some Chinese fireworks shipped in in that last convoy but that was a surprise for his men if they did well on the test. The idea seemed to excite his office staff and they hurried to plan the test. Those lights are part of their plan. Judging from the reaction of the men, the Commander is going to be pleased."

"Then they aren't going to send any tanks out to fight with my Captain?"

"No." My cousin assured me. "I don't think he even knows that your Captain is out there. Your Captain has kept his men hidden."

"What about those vehicles they call jeeps?" I couldn't help but ask. "My Captain says that they are dangerous too."

"They sent two out to investigate the unit that ran away but I don't think they are planning to send any more. I hope your Major doesn't stop for anything."

"He's not my Major!" I answered, insulted that my cousin would think that I would even associate with someone like the Major.

"Well anyway, your Captain is safe as long as he doesn't try to come any closer. The entire base is awake now."

"Then perhaps I should return to him and make sure that he doesn't try it."

"Good luck Cousin Fetti."

I thanked my cousin and began the long flight back to the Captain. I was exhausted by the time I got back and was glad to hear the Captain telling his men to get ready to return to their base. It was hard landing on his hat as he turned his head this way and that, trying to get his unit moving without revealing their presence to the Americans. His men seemed more interested in the light show from the base.

Suddenly there was another boom and the sky crackled with pops and sizzling sounds. This time instead of flares there was a burst of colored lights, green and blue. A second one followed, this time red and white and blue. I suspected that these were the Chinese fireworks that my cousin had mentioned. Watching the intricate designs of the lights as they faded in the sky, I was impressed with the display. I was almost glad that the Captain had missed that convoy. I would never have seen this light show if he had managed to destroy it.

Even the Captain stopped what he was doing to watch the new lights. The show didn't last long but it held everyone's attention until the very end. The Captain nearly unseated me as he shook his head at the display; then it was back to business.

Only now I noticed that the Captain didn't seem quite as tense. I heard him chuckle to himself as he headed for his staff car. His driver gave him a strange look as he turned toward the American base and actually laughed. Laughed! It sounded good coming from him. I heard him say 'of course, the Fourth of July' but it still meant nothing to me. Apparently it meant something to him though because he smiled almost the entire way back to our quarters. (See, I told you the Captain was smart, I didn't even have to tell him about the Fourth.)

The ride back to the base was still slow even though we didn't worry as much about being seen. I thought it was still because the Captain still didn't want to get the tanks dirty but I was wrong. That just goes to show that I really am not a soldier, I didn't understand. It wasn't until he told his driver to slow down so he wouldn't hit something in the dark that it began to make sense. Of course he wouldn't want to damage his pretty tanks by hitting something in the dark.

The next morning we were having breakfast when the Captain's aide arrived with his morning reports. Captain Dietrich glanced at them and started to lay them aside until one of them caught his eye.

"What's this?"

"That came in over the radio last night Captain." His aide explained. "The Major and his unit were attacked by several American jeeps on their way back to their base. He lost half of his halftracks and two tanks were damaged. The Major called but he didn't want to speak with you." The aide looked worried as he lowered his voice and leaned closer to the Captain. "He sounded really angry Captain. He said that the Rat Patrol was responsible."

"You don't say Corporal?"

"Yes Sir, that's what he said."

"Very well Corporal, that will be all."

I expected the Captain to be upset; those rats were at it again! But he was actually smiling! I don't know, maybe it was because the rats were bothering someone else for a change. At any rate, the smile on his face was almost as good as the laugh the night before; maybe those rats aren't so bad after all.


End file.
